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Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion, was the only religiously based infantry unit ever created bu the US Military. It consisted almost exclusively of nearly 500 men (and a few women) recruited exclusively from the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormons). This unit undertook the longest infantry march in U.S. military history and explored vast regions of New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Most members served an initial 12 month term (Jul 1846- Jul 1847) with some members re-enlisting for an additional 12 months afterwards. Unit History Over 500 volunteers enlisted in the Mormon Battalion. Some 22 Mormon men died from disease or other natural causes during their service. About 80 of the men re-enlisted for another six months of service. Recruitment The invitation to serve was actually the result of talks between Mormon leaders living on the East Coast of the United States, and U.S. Government officials. Jesse C. Little, presiding elder of the Mormon Church in the eastern United States, met with President Polk and offered Mormon assistance in exploring and fortifying the American West in return for monetary help. Polk proposed enlisting Mormon men to fight in the controversial U.S.-Mexican War. Under Polk's orders Captain James Allen met with the Mormon leaders in Iowa and Nebraska and asked for five hundred men. In exchange, the impoverished Mormons, who had just been driven from their homes in Nauvoo, Illinois, received much needed funds to finance their trek west. On 1 July 1846 Captain James Allen, dispatched by Colonel (later Brigadier General) Stephen W. Kearny, arrived at the Mormons' Mosquito Creek camp. He had a request from President Polk to enlist a battalion of 500 volunteers (5 companies of 100 men each) to fight in the Mexican War. Most members of the Church were suspicious of the request, as the Federal government had ignored the persecutions they suffered. They were concerned about facing discrimination by the government, as they had from both the state and federal government in the past. The public approval of Mormon Leader, Brigham Young and other members of the Twelve were critical to gain men's enlistment. While some men quickly volunteered, Young had to persuade and cajole many enlistees. It took three weeks to raise the five companies of men. Allen's instructions were to recruit five companies of men who were to receive the "pay, rations, and other allowances given to other infantry volunteers." Each company was authorized four women as laundresses, "receiving rations and other allowances given to the laundresses of our army." Approximately thirty-three women, twenty of whom served as laundresses, and fifty-one children accompanied the men. Four women would eventually complete the cross-continental trek. The Mormon Battalion was mustered into volunteer service on 16 July 1846 as part of the Army of the West under General Kearny, a tough and seasoned veteran. His units included two regiments of Missouri volunteers, a regiment of New York volunteers who traveled by ships to California to meet him there, artillery and infantry battalions, Kearny's own 1st US Dragoons, and the battalion of Mormons. Fort Leavenworth The battalion arrived at Fort Leavenworth on 1 August. For the next two weeks, they drew their pay, received their equipment (Model 1816 smoothbore flintlock muskets and a few Harper's Ferry Model 1803 Rifles), and were more formally organized into a combat battalion. Newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel James Allen became ill but ordered the battalion forward along the Santa Fe Trail to overtake Kearny's Army of the West. On 23 August, Allen died and was the first officer buried in what became Fort Leavenworth National Military Cemetery. Captain Jefferson Hunt, commanding A Company, was the acting commander until word reached Council Grove, Kansas, that Allen had died. A few days later Lieutenant Andrew Jackson Smith, West Point Class of 1838, arrived and assumed temporary command of the battalion with the Mormons' consent. March to Santa Fe Arriving in Santa Fe in October, General Kearny had dispatched Captain, now Lieutenant Colonel, Philip St. George Cooke, West Point class of 1827, to assume command of the battalion. His assignment was to march them to California and to build a wagon road along the way. In Santa Fe many sick men and all but a few of the women and children were sent to Pueblo, in present-day Colorado. A total of three separate detachments left the battalion and went to Pueblo to winter. For the next four months and 1,100 miles, Cooke led the battalion across some of the most arduous terrain in North America. Most of the Mormon soldiers soon learned to respect and follow him. The group acquired another guide in New Mexico – adventurer and mountain man Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, who as an infant had traveled with his mother Sacagawea across the continent with the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Lieutenant Smith and Dr. Sanderson continued with the battalion, along with Lieutenant George Stoneman, newly graduated from West Point that Spring. During the Civil War, all three officers were promoted to high-level commands for the Union Army. Afterward, Stoneman would go on to be elected Governor of California. Sick Detachment In Santa Fe many sick men and all but a few of the women and children were sent to Pueblo, in present-day Colorado. A total of three separate detachments left the battalion and went to Pueblo to winter. They would all eventually join with the main body Latter-day Saints migrating to Utah. Battle of the Bulls Near the San Pedro River in Arizona lived a sizable number of wild cattle. The battalion reached this area in November, 1846 and their presence aroused curiosity among these animals. After the bulls of these herds caused destruction to some of the mules and wagons and resulted in two men being wounded, the men loaded their guns and attacked the charging bulls, killing 10–15 of the wild cattle, which was sarcastically termed the "Battle of the Bulls". Capture of Tucson Approaching Tucson, in future Arizona, the battalion nearly had a battle with a small detachment of provisional Mexican soldiers on 16 December 1846. The Mexicans retreated as the US battalion approached. The local O'odham and other Piman tribes along the march route were helpful and charitable to the American soldiers. Mormon soldiers learned many methods of irrigation from these native inhabitants and employed the methods later as pioneers in Utah and other areas. Temecula Massacre Nearing the end of their journey (Jan 1847), the battalion passed through Temecula, California, during the aftermath of the Temecula Massacre, a conflict between the Californios and the Luiseño tribe. The Mormons stood guard to prevent further bloodshed while the Luiseño people gathered their numerous dead into a common grave. San Diego Arrival The Mormon Battalion arrived in San Diego on 29 January 1847 after a march of some 1,900 miles from Iowa. For the next five months until their discharge on 16 July 1847 in Los Angeles, the battalion trained and also performed occupation duties in several locations in southern California. The most significant service the battalion provided in California and during the war, was as a reliable unit under Cooke that General Kearny could rely on to block Fremont's mutinous bid to control California. The construction of Fort Moore was one measure Cooke employed to protect legitimate military and civil control under Kearny. Fremont Detachment A few of the men escorted John C. Fremont back east for his court-martial. This group would also discover the remains of the ill-fated Donner pioneer part on the Truckee River. Sutter's Mill Gold Discovery A few discharged veterans worked in the Sacramento area for James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill. Henry Bigler recorded the actual date, 24 January 1848, in his diary (now on display at the Huntington Library in San Marino, CA) when gold was discovered. This gold find started the California Gold Rush the next year. $17,000 in gold was contributed to the economy of the Latter-day Saints' new home by members of the Mormon Battalion returning from California. Duty Roster Battalion Command Staff Commanding Officers: Battalion Guides: * Appolonius * Chacon * Charboneauz, Jean Baptiste - Son of Sacajawea * Foster, Stephen G. * Francisco * Hall, Willard P. * Tasson * Thompson, Phillip * Weaver, Pauline W. Servants and Staff: * Zemira Palmer (1831-1880) Roster: Company A Officers: * Jefferson Hunt (1803-1879) - Captain * George W Oman (1802-1882) - Lieutenant * William Wesley Willis (1811-1872) - 2nd Lieutenant * William Smith Muir (1822-1896) - Sargent * Ebenezer Brown (1802-1878) - Sargent * Alexander McCord (1811-1887) - Sargent * Hiram Berry Chase (1823-1892) - Sargent * Phineas Reddington Wright (1823-) - Sargent * Gilbert Hunt (1825-1858) - 1st Corporal / son of Captain Hunt * Lafayette N Frost - 2nd Corporal * Thomas Weir - Corporal * Henry Packard - Corporal * Marcus D.L. Shepherd - Corporal * Elisha Averett - Musician * W Richards Joseph - Musician Privates: * Allen, Albern * Allen, Rufus Chester * Allred, James Riley (1827-1871) * Allred, James T.S. (1825-1905) * Allred, Reuben Warren (1827-1916) * Bailey, James * Beckstead, Gordon Silas * Beckstead, Orin Mortimer * Bevan, James * Bickmore, Gilbert (1826-1896) * Blanchard, Mervin S. * Brass, Benjamin * Bronson, Clinton * Brown, John * Brown, William Walton * Bryant, John Strange * Butterfield, Jacob Kemp * Calkins, Alvah Chauncey * Calkins, Edwin R * Calkins, James Wood * Calkins, Sylvanus * Casper, William Wallace * Clark, Joseph * Clark, Riley Garner * Clifford, Isaac Newton * Clifford, John Price * Coleman, George * Cox, Henderson * Curtis, Josiah * Decker, Zachariah * Dobson, Joseph * Dodson, Eli * Earl, James Calvin * Egbert, Robert Cowden * Fairbanks, Henry * Ferguson, James * Fredrick, David Ira * Garner, David * Glines, James Harvey * Goodwin, Andrew * Gordon, Gilman * Hampton, James * Hawkins, Benjamin * Hewit, Eli Buckner * Hickenlooper, William F (1823-1848) - Re-enlisted for six more months. Died in 1848. * Holden, Elijah Edward * Hoyt, Henry Pike * Hoyt, Timothy Sabin * Hudson, Wilford Heath * Hulett, Schuyler * Hunt, Marshall (1829-1915) - Son of Captain Hunt * Ivie, Richard Anderson * Jackson, Charles A. * Johnson, Henry * Kelley, Milton (1806-1846) - Died Nov 1846 with Sick Detachment in New Mexico. His wife, Malinda Allison Kelly later gave birth to a child in Pueblo. Brother of Nickolas and a cousin to Capt Jefferson Hunt. * Kelly, Nickolas * Kibby, James * Lake, Barnabas * Lemmon, James William * Maxwell, Maxie * Mayfield, Benjamin F. * Moss, David * Mowrey, James * Naegle, John Conrad * Oyler, Melcher * Pierston, Ebenezer * Ritter, John * Rowe, Caratat Conderset * Sessions, John * Sessions, Richard * Sessions, William Bradford * Sexton, George S. * Sharp, Norman * Steele, George E. * Steele, Issaiah Clark * Swarthout, Hamilton * Taylor, Joseph * Thompson, John Crow * Vrandenburg, Adna * Weaver, Franklin * Weaver, Miles * Webb, Charles Young * Weir, Thomas * Wheeler, Merrill W. * White, Joseph * White, Samuel Stephen * Willey, Jeremiah * Wilson, Alfred Gideon * Winn, Dennis Wilson * Woodworth Lysander Women & Children: * Allred, Elizabeth Briget Manwaring (1821-1866) - Wife of James TS Allred * Allred, Fent (1846-1846) - Child of James TS Allred - born & died on the trek - Sept 8, 1846 * Allred, Elzadie Emeline Ford (1827-1887) - Wife of Reuben Allred * Brown, Phoebe Draper - Wife of Ebenezer Brown * Celia Mounts (1805-1897) - Wife of Captain Hunt * Jane Hunt (1831-1899) - Child of Captain & Celia Hunt * John Hunt (1833-1917) - Child of Captain & Celia Hunt * Harriet Hunt (1835-1918) - Child of Captain & Celia Hunt * Joseph Hunt (1837-1916) -Child of Captain & Celia Hunt * Hyrum Hunt (1840-1880) -Child of Captain & Celia Hunt * Parley Hunt (1845-1847) - Child of Captain & Celia Hunt * Mary Hunt (1845-1930) - Child of Captain & Celia Hunt * Matilda Jane Nease (1828-1865) - 2nd Wife of Captain Hunt * Peter Nease (1834-1910) - Brother of Matilda Nease * Ellen Lucinda Nease (1836-1882) - Sister of Matilda Nease * Kelley, Malinda Allison (1815-1881) - wife of Pvt. Milton Kelley who died in the Sick Detachment during the march. * Kelley, Malinda Catherine (1847-1899) - child of Milton Kelley - baby Catherine was born with the sick detachment in Pueblo CO on 07 Feb 1847, just a couple of months after the death there of her father, Pvt Milton Kelley. Both of her parents were cousins to Capt Jefferson Hunt. * Kelley, Sarah - Wife of Nickolas Kelley / * Kelley, Parley - Child of Nickolas Kelley * Sessions, Emmeline - Wife of John Sessions Roster: Company B Officers & Staff * Hunter, Jesse Devine, Captain * Luddington, Elam, 1st Lt. * Barrus, Ruel, 2nd Lt. * Merrill, Philemon C., 2nd Lt. up to 1 Nov 1846 * Coray, William, Sgt. * Hyde, William, Sgt. * Smith, Albert, Sgt. * Rainly, David P., Sgt. * Dunn, Thomas James, Cpl. * Chase, John Darwin, Cpl. * Wilcox, Edward, Cpl. * Alexander, Horace M., Cpl. * Hunter, William, Musician * Taggart, George W., Musician Privates * Allen, Elijah (1826-1866) * Allen, Franklin * Allen, George * Bigler, Henry Hilliam * Bingham, Erastus * Bingham, Thomas * Bird, William * Boley, Samuel * Borrowman, John * Brackenberry, Benjamin B. * Brown, Francis * Bush, Richard * Bybee, John McCann * Callahan, Thomas William * Camp, James G. * Carter, Isaac Philo * Cater, Richard * Cheney, Zacheus * Church, Haden Wells * Clark, George Sheffer * Colton, Philander * Curtis, Dorr Purdy * Dalton, Henry Simon * Dayton, Willard J. * Dunham, Albert * Dutcher, Thomas P. * Eastman, Marcus N. * Evans, Israel * Evans, William * Follett, William Alexander * Freeman, Elijah Norman * Garner, Phillip * Garner, William W. * Green, Ephraim * Knowlton, Ephraim * Harris, Silas * Haskell, George Nile * Hawk, Nathan * Hawk, William * Hinkley, Arza Erastus * Hofheinz, Jacob * Hunter, Edward * Huntsman, Isaiah * Jones, David H. * Keysor, Guy Messiah * King, John M. * Kirk, Thomas * Lawson, John * McCarty, Nelson * Martin, Jesse Bigler * Miles, Samuel * Morris, Thomas * Mount, Hiram B. * Murdock, John Riggs * Murdock, Orrice Clapp * Myers, Samuel * Noler, Christian * Owens, Robert * Park, James(1) * Park, James(2) * Pierson, Ephraim * Pierson, Harmon Dudley * Prows, William Carroll * Richards, Peter F. * Rogers, Samuel Hollister * Simmons, William Alpheus * Sly James Calvin * Smith, Azariah * Steers, Andrew J. * Stevens, Lyman * Stillman, Dexter * Walker, William Holmes * Watts, John * Wheeler, John L. * Whitney, Francis Tufts * Wilcox, Henry * Willes, Ira Jones * Willes, William Sidney Smith * Winters, Jacob * Workman, Andrew Jackson * Workman, Oliver Gaultry * Wright, Charles * Young, Nathan * Zabriskie, Jerome Women & Children ---- Roster: Company C Officers: * Capt. James Brown (1801-1863) - Commander Jun 1846-Oct 1846 * 1st Lt. George Rosecrans - Commander Nov 1846-Jul 1847 * Thompson, Samuel - 2nd Lt. * Clift, Robert - 2nd Lt. * Elmer, Elijah - 1st Sgt. * Adams, Olson Bennett - Sgt. * Terrell, Joel Judkin- Sgt. * Tyler, Daniel - Sgt. * Martin, Edward - Sgt. * Brownell, Russel G. - 1st Cpl. * Wilkin, David - Cpl. * Brown, Alexander - Cpl. * Peck, Thorit - Cpl. * Nowlin, Jabez Townsend - Cpl. * Squires, William - Cpl. * Allen, Ezra Hela - Musician * Sprague, Richard D. - Musician Privates: * Adair, Wesley (1820-1903) * Babcock, Lorenzo * Bailey, Addison * Bailey, Jefferson * Barney, Walter * Beckstead, William Ezra * Blackburn, Abner * Boyle, Henry Green * Brimhall, John * Brown, Jesse Sowel * Burt, William * Calvert, John Hamaker * Carpenter, Isaac * Carpenter William Hiram * Catlin, George Washington (1818-1898) * Clift, James * Condit, Jeptha * Covil, John Q. A. * Dalton, Edward * Dalton, Harry * Dodge, Augustus Erastus * Donald, Neal * Dunn, James * Durphee, Francillo * Fellows, Hiram W. * File, John * Fifield, Levi * Forbush, Loren * Gibson, Thomas * Gould, John Calvin * Gould, Samuel J. * Green, John * Hancock, Charles Brent * Hancock, George Washington * Harmon, Ebenezer * Harmon, Lorenzo Frazer * Hatch, Meltiar * Hatch, Orin * Hendrickson, James * Holdaway, Shedrick * Holt, William * Hulse, Lewis * Ivie, Thomas C. * Johnson, Jarvis * Johnston, Jesse Walker * Johnston, William James * Landers, Ebenezer * Larson, Thurston * Layton, Christopher * Lewis, Samuel * McMullough, Levi Hamilton * Maggard, Benjamin * Mead, Orlando Fish * Moore, Calvin White * Mowrey, Harley * Mowrey, John T * Myler, James * Olmstead, Hiram * Owen, J * Parke, George * Peck, Isaac * Perkins, David Martin * Perkins, John * Pickup, George * Pierson, Judson A * Pulsipher, David * Reynolds, William * Richey, Benjamin (1823-1849) * Richmond, Benjamin * Riser, John J * Rush, William Walker * Shipley, Joseph * Shumway, Aurora * Shupe, Andrew Jackson * Shupe, James Write * Smith, Milton * Smith, Richard D * Steele, William * Taylor, Norman * Thomas, Elijah * Thomas, Nathan T * Thompson, James Lewis * Tindell, Soloman * Truman, Jacob Mica * Tuttle, Elanson * Wade, Edward Davis * Wade, Moses * Welch, James Madison * Wheeler, Henry * White, John Stout * Wilcox, Matthew * Wood, William Women & Children: * Adams, Susanna - wife of Orson Bennett Adams * Brown, Mary McCree Black - wife of Captn James Brown * Black, George David - child of Mary McCree & George Black * Shupe, Sarah - wife of James Wright Shupe * Elizabeth, Margaret - ??? * Wilkin, Isabella - wife of David Wilkin Roster: Company D Privates * Badham, Samuel (1815-1868) (SD) * Sanderson, Henry Weeks (1829-1896) - Kept Journal of Battalion Experience Roster: Company E Officers * Davis, Daniel Coon - Captain Privates * Sanders, Richard Twiggs (1828-1858) Roster: Company F References * Mormon Battalion - Wikipedia * Ol' Buffalo Mormon Battalion Page * Mormon Battalion Association * Roster of Mormon Battalion Soldiers * LDS NewsMag - New Mormon Battalion site opens in San Diego, Caifornia, USA] * KCSG * LDS.org: Mormon Battalion Historic Site - San Diego CA * CRL: Mormon Battalion Trek * Map of Mormon Battalion March